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Chicago-based Stoltmann Law Offices is representing clients who’ve been the victims of cybersecurity hacks. Third Parties who store and use your personal data have an obligation to keep that information secure. But in the online universe, cyberthieves are working 24/7 to steal this valuable commodity. Stolen data is bought and sold on the internet’s black market and used by other scamsters to open credit accounts with stolen identities.
Aon Corporation, the massive global insurance company, was recently hit with a class-action lawsuit over a cyber-hacking incident, or “data breach,” that allegedly lasted more than a year. “The 25-page lawsuit comes after Aon revealed that it had been hit by a data breach that went undetected for over a year, from late December 2020 to February 2022, according to class-action.org. Per the complaint, cybercriminals breached the company’s systems to access insurance files containing consumers’ names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security and driver’s license numbers and, in some cases, benefit enrollment information.”
The lawsuit also claims that Aon “lacked the security necessary to prevent such a hack” or stop unauthorized parties from stealing consumers’ personally identifiable information. Per the suit, Aon has disregarded consumers’ privacy rights and exposed their information to a heightened risk of misuse.” According to the complaint, Aon’s data breach notice “deliberately underplayed the severity of the breach and misrepresented that the insurer had no evidence cybercriminals had copied, retained, or shared the data, even though Aon knew cybercriminals had accessed its files for an extended period.” The suit states “Aon has offered data breach victims only 24 months of free credit monitoring services “despite the significant [personally identifiable information] that was compromised over a two-year period.”


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This week on The CultCast: According to a new report, Apple is prepping a new super-charged gaming Mac for WWDC! We discuss… Plus: full-screen TouchID will be replacing FaceID in a notch-less 2020 iPhone, at least according to a new rumor.
Our thanks to Linked In for supporting this episode. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters… head to LinkedIn.com/cultcast and get a $50 credit toward your first job post.
#421 – Apple preps a super-charged GAMING Mac!
On the show this week
This week’s stories
Apple could eliminate iPhone’s notch and Face ID for 2020 flagship
- Apple could deliver a flagship iPhone without a notch in 2020, according to a new report.
- The device is expected to feature a new Touch ID fingerprint scanner integrated into its display — rather than Face ID. Its front-facing camera will also be hidden away behind its screen.
- Analysts at Credit Swiss believe Apple will release a high-end iPhone with Touch ID embedded within its screen in 2020. The technology will replace Face ID, allowing Apple to do away with the handset’s notch.
Why I’m not holding my breath for Apple’s rumored gaming Mac [Opinion]
- Apple is reportedly working on a new “gaming-focused” Mac that it will unveil at WWDC, a sketchy new rumor claims.
- This machine would cost up to $5,000 and be a Mac rival to gaming PCs. It would take aim at the fast growing “e-sports” market, which Apple has not previously catered to. Could such a machine turn Apple into a gaming powerhouse?
- For my job at Cult of Mac, I test a lot of apps. But of course, I also use a lot of apps, for work, for recreation, and for making music. I thought I’d make a short list of my most-used apps this year.
Our favorite apps of 2019!
- Beat maker 3 for iPad
- Launch Bar
- Just press record
- Brave Browser
- Ulysses writing app
- Darkroom photo editing for iPad
- Focos photo editing app
- Alfred 4

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YouTube launches pay channels with campy flicks
Children's shows like "Sesame Street," inspirational monologues by celebrities and campy movies—these are among the offerings on 30 channels that will soon require a paid monthly subscription on YouTube.
Measuring materialism in children's books
(Phys.org) —Rachel Franz has read more than her share of books to young children growing up next to a daycare center, babysitting neighborhood children and working as a nanny. It didn't take long for the ...
Google to downgrade pirate sites in search results (Update)
Google Inc. is altering its search results to de-emphasize the websites of repeat copyright offenders and make it easier to find legitimate providers of music, movies and other content.
Increased use of hand held devices may call for new photo guidelines
Viewing Facebook and Flickr photos on a smart phone are becoming common practice. But according to a recently published Journal of Vision study, pictures on the small screen often appear distorted. Vision scientists found ...
Thomas Edison inspires the oscar awards you don't see
Thomas Edison's invention of the first motion picture camera in 1891 inspired scientific and technological advances that he never could have imagined.
Hollywood, Silicon Valley spar over online piracy bill
Hollywood sparred with Silicon Valley in the US Congress on Wednesday at a hearing on a controversial bill intended to crack down on online piracy.
Canon offers new camera for Hollywood filmmakers
(AP) -- Four decades after winning Academy Awards for its cinema lenses, Canon Inc. was back in Hollywood on Thursday, unveiling a new high-end digital video camera before an audience of some of the world's ...
YouTube making deals for original content: report
YouTube is teaming up with media companies to produce original content in its latest bid to boost the amount of professional material on the video-sharing site, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Startup tries to put sociability back into movies
Streaming movies might not yet have the equivalent of a theater experience, with roaring crowds crunching on popcorn, but they are getting more social.
Spotlight falls on Sony's troubled cybersecurity
(AP) -- Another massive data breach at Sony has left hackers exulting, customers steaming and security experts questioning why basic fixes haven't been made to the company's stricken cybersecurity program.
Hands on high-tech moviemaking (w/ Video)
"Lights, camera, action!" is more than the quintessential phrase that describes the moment filming begins on a movie set -- it also embodies the heart and soul of moviemaking.
FCC allows blocking of set-top box outputs (Update)
(AP) -- Federal regulators are endorsing Hollywood's efforts to let cable and satellite TV companies turn off output connections on the back of set-top boxes to prevent illegal copying of movies.
A facial expression is worth a thousand words
(PhysOrg.com) -- Moving pictures are more suitable to interpret the mood of a person than a static photograph.
Oprah, Luke Skywalker and Maradona -- new study investigates how our brains respond to them
Pictures paint concepts of a thousand words- now, for the first time, scientists studying the brain have worked out how words paint concepts in our minds.


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"Monopolies are wrong!" he said in the tweet.
The tweet came in response to a writer who said his book “Unreported Truths About COVID-19 and The Lockdown” was being removed from Amazon for violating guidelines with no specific reason or clarification, Bloomberg reported.
Musk has more than 35 million Twitter followers and has caught criticism often over his posts on subjects like the coronavirus pandemic and Tesla stock Bloomberg reported.
Musk made headlines at the beginning of the U.S.'s journey through the pandemic when he said he would be able to create ventilators for those suffering the worst of the coronavirus. Musk said Tesla could create them and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio responded that it would be a great help if the entrepreneur could do so.
Due to Tesla's capability to make cars and space shuttles, Musk said ventilators were possible, too, if not instantaneous.
But when Musk claimed to send ventilators to California hospitals, CNN reported that the hospitals said they'd gotten bilevel positive airway pressure (biPAP) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines instead of ventilators. A response from Tesla said the machines were "not full ventilators" but that there were many people who needed breathing assistance anyway, which the machines could help with.
Far from breaking up, Amazon has been in high demand for delivery services since the pandemic relegated most Americans to staying at home for the months of March and April. Amazon has actually been making more deals, alongside fellow giants like Google and Facebook.
Despite the pressure from regulators, Amazon is negotiating to buy California-based self-driving car company Zoox, PYMNTS reported.


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Hilton rewards loyalty members by unlocking mobile room keys
Hilton Worldwide is rewarding its HHonors members by enabling them to be the first to receive access to its Digital Key feature, which allows guests to unlock their hotel rooms via their mobile device.
After previously announcing plans to pilot the functionality this year, Hilton is bringing mobile room keys to the forefront and providing travelers with the option of bypassing the check-in counter at a hotel and accessing their room via the Hilton HHonors application. As major hospitality brands including Starwood Hotels and Resorts perfect these features following early rollouts, it will become even more imperative for other marketers in the industry to catch up.
?As the latest enhancement to our HHonors mobile app, Digital Key helps make our frequent guests? check-in and arrival process more convenient than ever before,? said Joshua Sloser, vice president of digital product innovation at Hilton Worldwide, Addison, TX. ?This holistic app experience truly sets Hilton apart ? our most frequent guests can book a hotel stay, check-in, select a room and go straight to their room upon arrival, using their smartphone as their key.
?Ultimately, we are driving towards making the HHonors app a one-stop shop for our guests before, during and after their trip, making it easy to connect with us and creating the seamless journey they are looking for.?
An increasing amount of hotel brands are looking to the future with a significant focus on digital amenities to offer consumers further convenience and personalization. Digital Key will enable guests to skip past the hotel lobby and go straight to their rooms after a long day of traveling, a feature that will be especially useful during peak times when check-in counter lines are long.
By early next year, Hilton HHonors members who have the app downloaded on their smartphones will be able to use personal devices as their room key to enter the more than 170,000 participating rooms across 250 Hilton properties in the United States.
This encompasses brands such as Waldorf Astoria Hotels, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Canopy by Hilton and Conrad Hotels and Resorts.
Currently, Digital Key may be tested at Hilton Alexandria Old Town and Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport.
The day prior to their arrival, HHonors customers may choose their preferred room on their smartphone using digital check-in, where they will be asked if they would like to use a Digital Key for the duration of their stay.
If the user opts in, he or she will have the mobile key issued on the day of their arrival.
Members at the Diamond, Gold and Silver status levels may head directly to their rooms upon arrival on premises if they have already digitally checked-in via the app. When they approach their room, they are asked to press the virtual ?unlock? button found in the app to open the door.
Offering this functionality to HHonors members before the rest of the general public is a smart move to boost loyalty and reward frequent visitors. Additionally, Hilton is providing any HHonors guest who uses Digital Key this year with a bonus of 2,500 rewards points.
The feature will continue beta testing through the end of the year. Digital Key is currently only available for iOS users, with an Android rollout planned for late 2015.
Starwood Hotels has also launched the mobile technology at its Element, 10 Aloft and W Hotels, with plans for 140 more of its properties to receive mobile keys later this year (see story).
Hilton has seen positive feedback come from customers using its digital check-in and room selection option, with travelers using it more than five million times since its launch last July.
?In a recent Hilton survey, we found 93 percent of Americans believe technology has made travel easier than it was even a decade ago,? Mr. Sloser said. ?We know our customers are increasing turning to technology ? specifically mobile - to research and book travel, and also as their ?companion? while traveling.
?Knowing this, we view our HHonors app as a platform that takes the friction out of travel for our guests. We will continue to build out mobile features like Digital Key to give guests the convenience, access and decision-making power they?re looking for.?
Ninety-three percent of HHonors members who have used the service deemed it satisfactory or extremely satisfactory.
Members using the app may also select their room on their smartphones and request amenities such as extra pillows and snacks.
?HHonors members who used Digital Key had great feedback to share, noting that the feature was easy-to-use and more convenient than the traditional plastic key card,? Mr. Sloser said. ?Overall, our HHonors members have loved ?going digital.?
?In fact, the enhanced HHonors app has been downloaded more than two million times since the launch of digital check-in last summer.?
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York


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Boathouse Capital and Tamarix Capital each shelled out US $5 million to und Convene.
UK's BlikBook continues its growth as it enters another round of financing to defray investment costs and business expansion.
Advantage Insurance enlists the help of GSO Capital Partners, a Blackstone Group affiliate, as its portfolio advisor.
Global venture capital financing increased globally last quarter according to a report by Preqin.
Polkomtel was able to arrange for new financing in order to reduce overall debt burden.
Deliv, after a successful financing round, would provide same day services for consumers and retailers in major cities in the US.
Clearwire gets money from Sprint yet still allows bid from Dish.
LivingSocial is convincing its investors to make another huge investment for the company as it suffers from sluggish daily deal activities.


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20/20 Full Episodes
20/20 RECENT REPORTS
A look at Donald Trump as the legendary showman, from business mogul to reality TV star to commander-in-chief.
From Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama and incoming first lady Melania Trump, a look at this big fashion reveal moment.
Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump spoke with "20/20" in exclusive interviews.
Ivanka Trump says she's given her father feedback about his Twitter use.


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British Salt announces £7.2 million investment for its 50th anniversary year
British Salt has unveiled a number of projects in its 50th anniversary year, including a £7.2 million investment in a new, best-in-class energy efficient boiler plant.
The new British Salt boiler plant, which is at its Cheshire-based Middlewich site, represents the largest single investment in the company since its inception and is designed to generate heat and electricity for the company’s 24-hour production process.
“Our 50th anniversary year heralds a major milestone in our future-proofing plant investment initiative,” said Ladan Iravanian, General Manager, Salt & Sodium Bicarbonate at Tata Chemicals Europe. “2018 was an exceptionally busy year. However, 2019 will see further, unprecedented high-profile investment in the site and its people.”
The investment incorporates the replacement of the existing boilers at the plant that were installed back in 1969. The two new high-performance natural gas boilers will be to state of the art design to deliver the highest possible energy efficiency as well as meet the most stringent environmental standards.
British Salt’s product range – manufactured at Middlewich – has many varied applications, ranging from its use as a vital ingredient in all types of food, as a critical chemical in water treatment and purification and as an essential nutrient in animal feed.
“Looking ahead to the future at British Salt, we’ve also made great strides in terms of new product development,” Ladan concluded. “We’ve continued to innovate and meet the demands of the market by introducing new products.”
British Salt produces over 50% of the UK’s salt and has produced more than 30 million tons of high purity dried vacuum salt since 1969 along with millions of tons of industrial and technical salt grades.
The new plant is scheduled to become operational in March 2020.


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It’s official, AT&T has sold out of the 8GB iPhone 3G. But that’s not as exciting as the clue provided to us by AT&T about its replacement and the iPad’s soon-to-be-dead unlimited plan.
BGR is saying the departing 3G model will be replaced with a $99 3GS soon after the new iPhone is out. And the New York Times is reporting that AT&T has gone ahead allowed customers to just buy – not have in hand – the iPad 3G and retain the right to select the unlimited 3G data plan – for a very limited time.
To be precise, you have until June 6 at 11:59pm to get the iPad on unlimited 3G. Run, you fool!


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Source: Texas Department of Agriculture Market News
For the week ending Sept. 27, 2014, feeder cattle prices quoted by Texas auctions were mostly steady compared to their previous sale, with some $8 lower to $10 higher per hundredweight (cwt). Texas direct feeder cattle sales were also mostly steady, with a few $3 higher. No fed cattle cash sales were reported. Formula trades were $1 lower on a dressed basis. Wholesale beef values were lower. Limited cattle supplies continue to support the market. Beef export sales for the week totaled 12,200 metric tons (MT), down 22 percent from the previous week and 3 percent from the prior four-week average. Export shipments of 13,400 MT were down 10 percent from a week earlier, but up 1 percent from the average.
Cotton prices were lower after China announced it will set its import quota for this marketing year at the World Trade Organization minimum, about 10 million bales below last year’s imports and 4 million bales below the USDA projection for this year. Losses were limited somewhat by rain that slowed module movement to gins, caused harvest delays and raised concerns about possible damage to crop quality. USDA NASS reported that the nation’s cotton crop was in 48 percent good to excellent condition, down one point from a week ago, while the area rated poor to very poor held steady at 18 percent. Eight percent of the acreage has been harvested, slightly behind normal. In Texas, cotton was rated 34 percent good to excellent, unchanged from last week; 26 percent was rated poor to very poor, a one point improvement. Harvest was 16 percent complete statewide, compared to 13 percent on average for this date. Export data were mixed, with strong sales, but weak shipments. Sales were more than double the previous week, up 68 percent from the prior four-week average and well above the weekly average needed to meet USDA projections for the marketing year. Shipments were down 16 percent from a week ago, 10 percent below the average and less than half the weekly average needed to meet expectations.
Wheat prices were higher as the recent price declines generated renewed buying interest. However, large world supplies and beneficial rains on the U.S. Southern Plains continued to pressure the market and limited the potential gains. Nationally, winter wheat planting is 25 percent complete, somewhat ahead of the 22 percent average. In Texas, wheat seedings are 20 percent complete, compared to 25 percent on average. Wheat export sales came in higher than expected, up 26 percent from last week and one percent higher than the prior four-week average. Shipments were down 39 percent from a week ago and 26 percent lower than the average.
Corn and grain sorghum prices were lower due to increasing harvest season supplies from what is expected to be a record-large corn crop. Reports indicate that many areas of the Corn Belt are seeing better-than-expected yields. USDA NASS reported that the U.S. corn crop remained in 74 percent good to excellent condition, unchanged from a week earlier. However, crop development is lagging, with 42 percent of the acreage mature, compared to 54 percent on average by this date, and only seven percent of the crop has been harvested, less than half the average 15 percent. The Texas corn crop is 67 percent harvested, slightly more than the normal 65 percent, with the remaining acreage rated in 67 percent good to excellent condition. Export data were supportive. Corn export sales were up 27 percent from a week ago and export shipments MT were up 44 percent.
Rain fell last week south of a line from Del Rio to Austin to Huntsville, with the heaviest totals south of San Antonio. Last week’s U.S. Drought Monitor showed continued improvement in conditions in Texas with 76 percent of the state now in some degree of drought or abnormal dryness, down seven percentage points from a week ago. That’s the lowest percentage in drought since early January this year. Nationally, the total acreage experiencing abnormal dryness or some degree of drought remained unchanged at 45 percent of the contiguous states.
Additional information on agricultural weather, crop progress and agricultural markets can be found on the TDA Market News page.
|Texas Cash Markets:||Sept. 27, 2014||Week||Year|
MBF = thousand board feet.
All cash prices above are market averages for locations covered by the USDA Market News program and do not reflect any particular sale at any specific location. Feeder cattle prices are for Texas direct sales of 650-850 pound medium and large No.1 steers for current delivery. Futures prices are quoted for the nearest month contract on the last trading day of the week. Timber prices are from the Texas A&M Forest Service, bimonthly “Texas Timber Price Trends.”
For additional information, contact TDA at 800-835-5832 or visit www.TexasAgriculture.gov.


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Posts Tagged ‘factories’
Orders to U.S. factories fell 1.5 percent in December, the biggest drop since July, with much of the weakness coming from a plunge in aircraft orders.
The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of manufacturing activity fell to 51.3 in January from 56.5 in the previous month.
Wholesale stockpiles rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent, the Labor Department said Friday.
Factory production rose 0.3 percent in June from May, following a 0.2 percent gain the previous month.
U.S. factories cut back sharply on production in April, as auto companies cranked out fewer cars and most other industries reduced output.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is alerting its global suppliers that it will immediately drop them if they subcontract their work to unauthorized factories.
Nokia Corp. will lay off 10,000 jobs globally and close plants by the end of 2013, the company said Thursday, in a further drive to save costs and streamline operations. Nokia said it will shut some research and development projects, including in Ulm, Germany, and Burnaby, Canada, and close its core manufacturing plant in Finland [...]
A busy month for U.S. automakers lifted overall factory output in July by the most since the Japan crisis. A stronger manufacturing sector is the latest evidence that the economy may not be as weak as some had feared. The Federal Reserve said Tuesday that factory output increased 0.6 percent last month. That’s the biggest [...]


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May 12, 2017· Seeing an inverted yield curve in China sent up a red flag. But is that red flag a true signal of trouble, or is it only noise? China's yield curve: Signal or noise? It's probably noise.
Aug 28, 2015· China's Tricky Economic Transition: From Steel Mills To E-Commerce : Parallels Shanghai's stock market rose Friday and investors are relieved. That doesn't change the fact that China.
Since China entered the World Trade Organization in 2001, the extraordinary ... and accessories (211,200 jobs), textile mills and textile product mills ... during the Great Recession of 2007–2009, and continuing through 2011,...
After that, Chinese shipments of the pipe to the United States virtually stopped. When enforcement of the rules leveled the field of competition, American companies and American workers won.
Jan 24, 2010· China's response to the global financial crisis 24 January 2010. Author: Yu Yongding, CASS, Beijing. Undoubtedly the most important impact of the global financial crisis (GFC) on the Chinese economy came from the fall in global demand, reflecting China.
Copland Mills is a family-owned business "70 years strong," Hulighan said. The company, which manufactures its products in the United States, is predominantly a polyester house, but finishes ...
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general slowdown in economic activity.   Macroeconomic indicators such as GDP (gross domestic product), investment spending, capacity utilization, income, business profits, and inflation fall, while bankruptcies and the unemployment rate rise.
The textile industry in China is the largest in the world in both overall production and exports. China exported $274 billion in textiles in 2013, a volume that was nearly seven times that of India, the second largest exporter with $40 billion in exports.
Oct 21, 2012· On Thursday, Beijing's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced that the Chinese economy grew 7.4% in the third quarter. That was down from 7.6% in Q2 and 8.1% in Q1.
Is Chinese Mills In Recession . is chinese mills in recession Shanghai SKY Mining and Construction Machinery Co, Ltd is a hi-tech, engineering group We are specialized in the research,
Danish shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk is warning that trade tensions between the United States and China could weigh on business.
The Chinese economy wasn't having that problem. In fact, China was in the midst of a building boom. So, timberland owners in the Northwest started selling raw logs to China instead of local mills.
In September, Chinese steel production fell by 9 percent, and by the end of October, China's major steel mills were said to be operating at 30 percent to 50 percent of capacity, while some 30 percent of mills had ceased operations altogether.
The phenomenon, in which long-term interest rates sink below short-term interest rates, has caused some consternation among market-watchers, who know it's traditionally a harbinger of recession.
Today's Stock Market News and Analysis - Nasdaq. Get the latest news and analysis in the stock market today, including national and world stock market news, business news, financial news and more.
Steel produced in the U.S. was selling for $682 per metric at the end of November — 28 percent higher than the $533 per metric ton going rate for steel coming out of Chinese mills, according to ...
The big question Dr. Thornberg tackled was when and if a new recession is right around the corner. He was one of the few economists to see the Great Recession coming in 2008 as early as 2006, but in short he doesn't see a replay like that happening anytime soon.
The Great Recession, as harrowing as it was a decade ago, seems to have faded from public memory. It is safe to say that a general sense of normalcy pervades the lives of most Americans.
If I am wrong about the recession, you will get the dividend payment and some modest capital appreciation. I have decided to buy Reynolds and Colgate because they are bullet proof stocks. The one problem with General Mills is it is weakened by changes in consumer behavior.
For instance, spot yields on two-year government bonds have increased 80 basis points, while 10- and 50-year yields have increased only 54 and 31 basis points, respectively. The inversion in the Chinese bond market stems not from a major fall in long-term yields, but from a .
"The growth of the trade deficit with China between 2001 and 2017 was responsible for the loss of 3.4 million [American] jobs, including 1.3 million since 2008, [which was] the first full year of the Great Recession," a report released by the Economic Policy Institute, a non-profit, liberal think tank based in Washington, revealed.
Nov 01, 2016· A worker operates a cotton spinning machine at a textile mill in Jiujiang, East China's Jiangxi province.[Photo/Xinhua] Is the Chinese economy about to .
In the aftermath of the Great Recession, when some of China's most important export markets, such as the US were mired in the deepest recession since the Great Depression, China embarked on a ...
And so is the health care and pharmaceutical business. The pharmaceutical business in China is a burgeoning industry with real staying power.
Cardboard for paper mills: delays in quotas for China could mean price reductions soon At the same time, and partly because of the ongoing quality pressures on the Chinese market, the major three Chinese mill groups which take in used cardboard from Europe and America, are all actively looking for more opportunities to develop mills outside of China, including in the UK.
is chinese mills in recession lebanon - greenrevolution. M E S T E E L. The world market for iron and steel, coming out of a recession that lasted .... The Chinese government has restricted the development of new steel ... Chat Online; Textile industry comes back to life, especially in South.
Thai of Chinese origin, often called Thai Chinese, consist of Thai people of full or partial Chinese ancestry—particularly the Han Chinese. Thailand is home to the largest overseas Chinese community in the world with a population of approximately 10 million people, accounting for 14 percent of the total Thai population as of 2012.
China is not remotely interested in an international division of labour where the west does the clever stuff and it is left with the cheap end of the market.
· Investor David Tice is going deeper into bear territory, predicting that the economy is months away from a deep correction that will send stocks down by as much as 50 percent.
Butler Lumber Co., Chinese Version Case Solution. This Case is about FORECASTING, RECESSION. PUBLICATION DATE: October 31, 1991. The Butler Lumber Co. is confronted with a demand for enhanced bank loan related to its fast sales development and low success.
But there's more pain ahead: Some 11 percent of shares on Chinese stock markets are pledged for loans, and the profits of steel mills, say, are dependent on prices driven up by highly leveraged shadow banks. China may not be on the verge of recession.
Just last week, China's National Bureau of Statistics reported that growth in the world's second-largest economy had slowed to 7%, the slowest clip in six years.


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SHERIDAN — Every year, Sheridan’s food scene seems to turn up the heat. New restaurants and cafes are opening; chefs are focusing more on fresh ingredients; and small-batch coffee roasters, ice cream churners and microgreen cultivators are filling the farmers markets.
And just a block off the beaten path of Main Street, another culinary project is rolling out creative, satisfying options in a surprising venue: the Grab ‘N Go at The Hub on Smith.
Located just past the front doors of the senior center, the Grab ‘N Go greets visitors with all the staples of a good cafe: comfy chairs and couches, baskets of books and puzzles, solid outlet access — even a crackling fireplace. Friendly baristas sling an array of tea and coffee drinks; baked goods; and a full breakfast and lunch menu of made-to-order sandwiches, take-away grain bowls and more. Regulars chat, read newspapers and work on laptops.
This is not the scene of a typical senior center eatery, which was intentional, explained Carmen Rideout, executive director of The Hub. The cafe, which operates separately from the seniors’ dining room, opened in September 2017 as part of the nonprofit’s renovation and rebranding.
“Before, people walked in and saw a front desk,” Rideout said. “We wanted to make it more accessible to people of all ages and remove the stigma of what ‘senior centers’ should look like. [The Grab ‘N Go] has created a great focal point when you first come in — a different vibe than we had before.”
In addition to fostering a new environment to cross generational divides, the cafe was created to generate extra revenue. Like the Green Boomerang, a thrift store on Main Street, all proceeds after expenses are directly allocated to The Hub’s programs, which support seniors in the community with in-home health aid, a slate of arts and activities, free transportation and more.
“The Grab ‘N Go is really just a great cafe in town that supports a wonderful cause,” said Katie Rideout, the Grab ‘N Go developer (and Carmen Rideout’s daughter).
The cafe offers a fresh take on food that mirrors the national trend of healthy “fast-casual” restaurants, thanks to the menu — which was inspired by Katie Rideout’s coast-to-coast experiences in the food industry — and the vision of Executive Chef Plus Dan Cole.
“Our philosophy is to focus on fresh homegrown foods that are good and clean, with less stuff out of cans,” said Cole, who oversees all of The Hub’s dining and facility operations.
“We wanted something that was quick but also tasty and healthy and colorful,” added Katie Rideout. “Hand-crafted is what we’re going for.”
The resulting recipes are deceptively creative in their simplicity. At first glance, the breakfast favorite is a standard burrito, until you taste the rich spice of chorizo. The California Bowl features whole ingredients — roasted sweet potato, beet, avocado, mixed grains and greens — but gets an extra kick from Katie Rideout’s housemade honey miso dressing. The daily selection of treats include freshly baked cookies and banana bread, but you ought not overlook the bright flavors of the scones baked with local rhubarb.
As The Hub team hoped, the consistent quality and creativity of the food has drawn a crowd of regulars beyond seniors.
“A lot of high school kids come in because it’s so cheap, so good and so close to everything,” Cole observed. “We also see a lot of people (in their 20s, 30s and 40s) who enjoy the healthier alternative. Our generation would rather eat more clean, straight-from-the-earth foods — it’s the way to go.”
The cafe’s infusion of younger generations brightens the daily life of the seniors who frequent the nonprofit.
“We are following our mission, which is to celebrate and embrace older adults for the betterment of our community,” Carmen Rideout said. “Older people have an important role in our community, and we want to lift them up and give them a nice space to be connected with everybody. We don’t want to isolate people because of age.”
The Grab ‘N Go at The Hub is located at 211 Smith St. and is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.


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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — There’s a nationwide warning about cards that claim you don’t have to wear a mask.
The “face mask except” cards are supposedly backed by the federal government, but the U.S. Attorney for North Carolina says the cards are a fraud.
For some, not wearing a mask is a contentious issue because they claim it’s their right not to wear one.
Now, official looking cards are appearing all over the internet buttressing their claims.
CBS 17 Consumer Investigator Steve Sbraccia took a copy of one card to downtown Raleigh, asking people if they thought it was legit.
Stephen Pedaline was among those fooled by the card saying “Not knowing anything about it, I’d say, yeah, it’s real.”
The cards bear the logo of the U.S. Department Of Justice as well as the logo of something called the Freedom To Breathe Agency.
“There’s a lot of people trying to get out of wearing a mask, so it doesn’t surprise me they’re trying to use an eagle and something that looks official to have it as an excuse,” said Ashley Kevitt when she looked at a copy of the card.
The cards invoke the Americans with Disability Act and promise steep fines for violations, but, the cards carry no force of law, the U.S. Attorney for Eastern District Of North Carolina said.
“Their use of the (Department of Justice) seal and referring to us as the source is wrong and it is a violation of the law,” said Robert Higdon Jr.
The card also encourages cardholders to call the Department of Justice to report any violations of the Americans with Disability Act.
“The Americans with Disability act does not speak to this issue and it’s unfortunate they would reference that act,” said Higdon. “The act has nothing to do with this card.”
The card claims a business that denies access to the holder will result in “further actions by the Freedom to Breathe Agency (FTBA).”
So who is the FTBA? Their website address indicates they aren’t a government agency.
When CBS 17 accessed their website, we found it said the Freedom To Breathe Agency is a movement “dedicated to protecting freedom and liberty.” It offers a printable version of the card along with merchandise including $20 baseball caps, $15 mugs and $10 backpacks.
The Department of Justice is trying to learn more about this group so it can take further action.
“We’re trying to figure out who they are,” said Higdon. “As far as I know, they only exist on the internet and their Facebook page has disappeared.”
Higdon also says the USDOJ isn’t sure if this is one organized group or of there are a number of different people who are behind these fake cards all using the same name of the FTBA.
At the moment, it’s important to remember there is no government statute exempting people from wearing a face covering.
- Child falls from truck, is run over by trailer during eastern NC Christmas parade
- Man arrested in burglary, sexual assault attempt in NC university dorm, police say
- 1 dead in car crash in Moore County
- UNC Health holds active shooter drill in Hillsborough amid national, local incidents
- UNC to take on South Carolina in Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte


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The average consumer has become accustomed to free shipping for online purchases, often with one- or two-day turnarounds. This has set some high expectations in terms of shipping prices and speed. While this may be easily attainable for large businesses, it can seem insurmountable for small business owners. Yet, by fulfilling these expectations, smaller businesses can create a phenomenal customer experience that converts shoppers into loyal, lifelong customers.
It requires a lot of behind-the-scenes work by retailers to create these results for consumers. Retailers must constantly refine their shipping strategy and streamline their fulfillment and delivery processes. To make it even more challenging, this must all be accomplished without increasing your prices to unacceptable levels. Fortunately, once you identify the right shipping partners, the process becomes far more manageable.
“When it comes to customer loyalty, shipping speeds and costs are more important than ever,” said Tom Caporaso, CEO of Clarus Commerce, a provider of e-commerce and subscription commerce solutions. “Most shoppers still choose ‘free’ over ‘fast,’ but with a growing number of retail outlets – Amazon, eBay, and others – now combining those options, retailers of all sizes have to find ways to cater to every customer’s interests.”
“Today’s e-commerce sites have a lot of competition, and shipping costs are often factored into consumers’ buying decisions,” added Christina Crawford, CEO of hair and skincare brand Bubble Pop Beauty. “So it is essential for these stores to create a pricing structure that is competitive with big online retailers.”
Whether you have just started your business and aren’t sure where, to begin with, the shipping process, or you’re an established company interested in creating a more efficient methodology, here are some tips on tackling the biggest challenges small e-commerce retailers face with ease.
Most businesses begin by using the most well-known shipping vendors. Big names like UPS and FedEx feel safe and established, and your volume may be small enough to justify the expense. However, as your business grows, you will need to choose a multi-step and multi-vendor shipping arrangement to ensure faster deliveries at a reasonable price.
“While using just one carrier may seem like a simple solution, it may not be the most cost-effective one,” said Amine Khechfe, co-founder of shipping solutions company Endicia. “Small businesses should take the time to identify the right shipping mix for their business needs.”
Khechfe recommended that e-commerce businesses consider the U.S. Postal Service as an alternative to private carriers, especially if they regularly ship bulky products. Business owners should also consider surcharges for services such as weekend or rural delivery and use this information to determine the most economical options for meeting customer delivery expectations, he said.
Drop shippers and other third-party logistics (3PL) providers can also reduce shipping costs. Dropshipping – a process in which a retailer sends customer orders to a manufacturer or wholesaler that then ships the product out from its warehouse – is a particularly attractive option for businesses wanting to boost their shipping volume without increasing the space needed to store their inventory. Similarly, 3PLs can leverage the combined inventory volume of a group of smaller merchants to offer better shipping alternatives, said Jose Li, founder, and CEO of shipping insights and analytics firm 71lbs.
Building smart, strategic relationships and using technology can help small businesses find the right balance of price and convenience, said Frank Poore, founder, and CEO of online merchandising and fulfillment platform CommerceHub.
“The little guys have to act like the big guys,” he said. “They have to do things systematically to minimize costs and transit times.”
Poore suggests looking for suppliers and drop shippers in the areas closest to your customer base to minimize the distance between the origin and the destination.
And never underestimate the value of negotiation, added Crawford.
“Don’t accept standard shipping costs issued by the carrier,” she said. “Go through the negotiation process. Compare pricing among other carriers and pick the option that best works for [you].”
FedEx and UPS follow a dimensional pricing model, meaning shipping costs are determined by package weight and size for ground shipments. Kevin Lathrop, CEO of shipping company Unishippers Global Logistics, said many businesses made a lot of adaptations to optimize their packaging for this reason.
“You want to use the minimum amount of space you can,” Lathrop said. “Package for safety and density, and put [your items] in an appropriate box for the load.”
If you’re shipping multiple items on a shrink-wrapped pallet, label each individual box in case the load is broken up before it reaches its destination, Lathrop said. Crawford said that it’s also helpful to consider preassembly of products and kitting so orders can be shipped promptly.
Depending on the package weight, Poore noted that your fastest, least-expensive delivery method might be having a private carrier take it part of the way, with USPS making the final delivery.
Technology has made it much easier to manage the shipping process. Businesses of all sizes can monitor shipments at every stage of the journey that allows customers to receive accurate and timely updates. But the increased awareness isn’t only valuable for the customer. It also ensures the business isn’t held liable for delays, errors, or damage that occurs once a product has shipped.
Traditionally, if a customer reports an incorrect or damaged product, you had to take their word for it. Now, however, businesses can use video surveillance, real-time scanning and tracking, and other analytics tools across their entire supply chains.
Another crucial ability is providing tracking details for customers, as they want to know exactly where their purchases are, said Jarrett Streebin, CEO of shipping solutions provider EasyPost. He advised focusing on packing and shipping orders within 24 hours whenever possible and sending tracking numbers immediately.
Caporaso said retailers should evaluate their shipping strategy every six months to ensure that it’s operating at peak efficiency and delivering the best possible value to customers at the lowest possible cost to your business. An ongoing program of data collection and analysis is an invaluable part of that effort, he said.
Ultimately, it is the customer’s expectations that should be at the center of every shipping decision you make, according to Caporaso. A carrier that saves you money in the short term but alienates your customer with poor service will eventually cost you customers, and money, in the long term.


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Analysts say the partial U.S.-China trade deal doesn't touch on thorny issues plaguing both sides, and warn talks could break down again.World Economyread more
Economists polled by Reuters had expected Chinese exports denominated in the U.S. dollar to fall by 3% and imports to decline by 5.2% in September, compared to a year ago.China Economyread more
The U.S. had plans to hike duties on at least $250 billion in Chinese goods to 30% from 25% on Tuesday. Despite the partial trade deal, some banks on Sunday wrote that tariff...Marketsread more
The industry has pulled in $322 billion over the past six months, the fastest pace since the second half of 2008.Marketsread more
A technical recession occurs when there are two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.Asia Economyread more
"Deepfakes" are being used to depict people in fake videos they did not actually appear in, and can potentially affect elections, diplomacy and how markets move, experts say.Technologyread more
Chinese President Xi Jinping warned on Sunday that any attempt to divide China will be crushed.China Politicsread more
Syria's Kurds said Syrian government forces agreed Sunday to help them fend off Turkey's invasion.World Newsread more
U.S. President Donald Trump said that both sides reached a "very substantial phase one deal" that will address intellectual property and financial services concerns and...Asia Marketsread more
Hagibis dropped record amounts of rain for a period in some spots, according to meteorological officials, causing more than 20 rivers to overflow.Asia Newsread more
A spokesperson for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has issued a stark warning to the international community.World Newsread more
For many people, getting into the holiday spirit means stringing twinkly lights everywhere, hosting parties plentiful with food and drinks, piling stacks of gifts for loved ones — and overspending.
If you head into the season of giving without a budget, there's a good chance you'll come out on the other side with a holiday hangover in the form of debt.
NerdWallet's Consumer Holiday Shopping Report shows that 27 percent of consumers who shopped during the 2016 season had no budget, and another 24 percent went over budget.
The survey also showed that 56 percent of shoppers last year incurred credit-card debt, up from 48 percent in 2015.
"A lot of people are still paying off holiday debt from last year," said Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert with NerdWallet. "You don't want to be in that boat."
Holiday budgets typically involve several components: gifts, decorations, food and travel (although if you haven't booked flights by now, finding good deals will be challenging).
Here are some tips to help you set a budget for the holiday.
Make a list detailing your planned holiday-related expenses. For instance, make a list of the people you are giving presents to, along with the amount you plan to spend for each person.
"It's tempting to overspend when you are in the store, but if you have that initial list you can make sure you're not going over the set amounts," Palmer said.
Same goes for food and decorations. If you're hosting a gathering, make sure you have a shopping list and compare prices before you head out.
If using a credit card won't cause you to overspend, it could be a way to reduce your overall cost.
Some credit cards let you earn rewards, while others have cash-back deals. Still others might offer price protection, so if the price drops, you can get refunded the difference, Palmer said. Others come with warranty protection on major purchases.
Keep in mind, however, that those reasons alone are not a reason to turn to plastic if you can't afford to pay cash.
"You only want to use a credit card if you pay your balance in full every month," Palmer said.
After luring consumers with reduced prices and other special deals between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, prices start creeping back up as time passes and the holidays approach. If you can get yourself organized enough to take advantage of these timed deals, you can find a variety of deals — both in stores and online — that could disappear soon.
One exception to this is anything holiday-themed like decorations.
"The prices tend to go down as the holiday gets closer," Palmer said, adding that additional discounts come once the special day has passed. "If you can plan ahead, you could purchase next year's decorations this year when the prices drop."
Actually sticking to a budget might be the trickiest part.
"It's hard," acknowledges Palmer. "It really is about writing down your budget and not letting yourself exceed it."
"On the Money" airs on CNBC Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. ET, or check listings for air times in local markets.
More from CNBC Personal Finance:


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Google hasn't violated any antitrust laws, the Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday, but it has agreed to make some changes in how it treats its rivals as part of a settlement to end the 19-month investigation into its business practices.
The FTC's investigation focused on allegations that Google has been abusing its dominance in Internet search. Google's rivals say the company has been highlighting its own services on its influential results page while burying the links to competing sites.
Google Inc. has fiercely defended its right to recommend the websites that it believes are the most relevant.
The FTC said it voted unanimously to close the investigation on whether Google's algorithm unfairly favored itself because there was no evidence that Google violated antitrust laws.
"Although some evidence suggested that Google was trying to eliminate competition, Google's primary reason for changing the look and feel of its search results to highlight its own products was to improve the user experience," FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz said to reporters Thursday.
Google was also investigated for abusing patent protection against competitors like Apple. As part of the settlement, Google is agreeing to license patents deemed to be "essential" for rival mobile devices such as Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad, regulators said.
Regulators say Google is also promising that upon request, it will exclude snippets copied from other websites in its summaries of key information, even though the company had insisted the practice is legal under the fair-use provisions of U.S. copyright law.


text: Now that its official, the Brooklyn Nets wasted no time to prod fan gears and merchandises with the team’s new logo. A wide range of official team products to select from, in sizes and designs for men, women, and kids. There are also accessories, like New Era caps, and miscellaneous, such as flags and pins. One goods notably missing, however, is the new team jersey, which is set to deliver in September when the $1 billion dollar Barclays Center opens. The official Brooklyn Nets gears are available now through the team’s online store and retailers of official NBA merchandises.


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Instead, people are better off using oils high in unsaturated fats, such as vegetable and seed oils.
Two great examples of such oils are rapeseed oil and olive oil, which “could help to reduce your LDL cholesterol”.
What’s LDL cholesterol?
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is otherwise regarded as “bad” cholesterol, explained the charity Heart UK.
It’s this type of cholesterol that can line the arteries, causing them to narrow and introducing various health concerns.
Toyn shares a trick to eat more healthier foods throughout the day – “make them more noticeable, visible and accessible”.
READ MORE: Coronavirus new strain symptoms: The three signs of Covid-19 in your eyes


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The Rise of Online Sports Betting
The world of sports betting has experienced a revolutionary change in recent years with the rise of online platforms. With just a few clicks, sports enthusiasts can now place bets on their favorite teams or athletes from the comfort of their own homes. This convenience has attracted millions of users across the United States, eager to test their luck and knowledge in the realm of sports. However, the legality of online sports betting varies from state to state, creating a complex web of regulations and restrictions.
A Patchwork of State Laws
Unlike other forms of gambling, such as casino games or lotteries, the regulation of sports betting falls under the jurisdiction of individual states. This means that each state has the authority to decide whether to legalize or outlaw online sports betting within its borders. As a result, the legal landscape across the country is a patchwork of laws, with some states embracing the industry and others maintaining a strict stance against it.
States like New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania have been at the forefront of legalizing online sports betting. They recognized the potential for revenue generation and decided to permit licensed operators to offer their services to residents. These states have implemented strict regulations to ensure fair play and protect consumers from fraudulent practices.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are states that have completely banned online sports betting. Alabama, Alaska, and Utah are among those that prohibit any form of sports betting, whether online or offline. These states often justify their stance based on moral or religious grounds, seeing gambling as a vice that should be avoided at all costs.
A Growing Trend of Legalization
While the majority of states fall somewhere in between these two extremes, there is a growing trend towards the legalization of online sports betting. Many states have realized the potential for generating much-needed tax revenue from the industry, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has strained state budgets.
Furthermore, the legalization of online sports betting can bring about various benefits, such as job creation and increased tourism. Sports fans who enjoy placing bets on their favorite teams may be more inclined to visit a state where they can legally partake in this activity. This can boost local economies and provide a much-needed economic boost.
The Importance of Regulation
As the popularity of online sports betting continues to grow, it is crucial for states to prioritize regulation and consumer protection. The lack of a federal framework for online sports betting means that each state is responsible for establishing its own rules and regulations.
These regulations should focus on ensuring the integrity of the industry, preventing fraudulent practices, and protecting the rights of consumers. Licensed operators should be held to high standards, with strict protocols in place to verify the age and location of users, as well as to prevent money laundering or illegal betting activities.
Additionally, states should invest in responsible gambling programs to help individuals who may develop gambling addictions. These programs can provide support and resources to those in need and promote responsible and sustainable gambling practices. Find more details about the topic in this external resource we’ve chosen for you. 토토사이트 추천, broaden your comprehension of the topic by revealing fresh viewpoints and discoveries.
The legality of online sports betting in different states is a complex and ever-evolving issue. While some states have embraced the industry, others continue to view it as a prohibited activity. As more states recognize the potential economic benefits of legalizing online sports betting, the landscape is shifting towards a more permissive approach. However, it is crucial for states to prioritize regulation and consumer protection to ensure a safe and fair environment for all sports bettors.
Find more information and perspectives on the subject discussed in this article by visiting the related posts we’ve prepared:


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I've been covering Microsoft HoloLens since it was announced in January 2015 and - in line with much of the virtual reality (though call HoloLens this at your peril; it's "mixed reality", dammit) hardware...
App designed to safeguard children online was the result of two years' toil at AI's cutting edge, says product manager Jon Howard
Blockchains are slow, wasteful and ill-suited for digital currencies, say researchers who believe they've found a better way
GitHub says it has found the problem and is working to resolve it.
Measures technologists can take to ensure the products they create are resistant to coercive control
'If you pick any random PHP library it more than likely has a flaw,' says Veracode's Chris Eng


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CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- In another move aimed at creating a more comfortable shopping environment for upscale customers, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it will step up a remodeling plan for 1,800 U.S. locations in the next 18 months.
The remodelings, based on a much-touted supercenter that Wal-Mart
Updated for stronger presentation in the apparel, electronics and home-goods sections are on the board as are upgraded bathrooms with steel fixtures.
All told, about 57% of its U.S. discount and supercenter stores will be refurbished. It's unclear what this will cost the behemoth.
Menzer said only it would be a "very minor capital expenditure."
The move follows last year's strategic shift toward better-heeled customers, in the hopes they would pick up apparel and bigger-ticket items while grocery shopping.
Though the company has insisted that it will not abandon its core customers -- lower-income shoppers who are sensitive to the price of goods -- it has unveiled a number of operational and merchandising strategies aimed at building a broader base of customers.
"Although Wal-Mart's redmodel strategy appears necessary for the long term, albeit more reactive than proactive in our view, we believe that near-term uncertainties in consumer behavior pose some risk to the timing of the initiative," said UBS Investment Research analyst Neil Currie in a note to clients on Wednesday.
Wal-Mart shares, part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, added 14 cents to $44.88 in morning trading.


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Shares of Foxtron Vehicle Technologies Co (鴻華先進), an electric vehicle joint venture between Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) and Yulon Motor Co (裕隆汽車), yesterday fell 2.7 percent on their debut on the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s (TWSE) new trading platform — the Taiwan Innovation Board.
Foxtron is the 1,000th listed company on the nation’s main bourse and the eighth firm trading shares on the Innovation Board, TWSE said in a statement.
The stock dropped at the open from its initial public offering price of NT$50, and at one point fell to as low as NT$45.5, before paring some losses to close 2.7 percent lower at NT$48.65, underperforming the TAIEX’s 0.01 percent rise.
Established in 2020 with paid-in capital of NT$17.41 billion (US$549.94 million), Foxtron is 49.92 percent owned by Hon Hai and 47.96 percent held by Yulon subsidiary Hua-Chuang Automobile Information Technical Center Co (華創車電), with the remainder held by other investors.
Over the past three years, the company has developed four electric vehicle (EV) prototypes: the Model B crossover sports utility vehicle, Model C sports utility vehicle, Model E luxury sedan and the Model T bus.
Unique Satellite TV quoted Foxtron CEO Andy Lee (李秉彥) as saying at yesterday’s listing ceremony that the company is starting production of the Model C this quarter and expects to begin deliveries of the model in January next year.
Foxtron hopes to complete the delivery of 8,000 to 9,000 vehicles in the first half of next year, the company said.
The Model B is expected to start volume production in the fourth quarter of next year, while the delivery of Model T buses would exceed 100 units this year, up from 20 to 30 last year, it said.
“Compared with traditional automakers, which often spend five to six years from design to mass production, Foxtron has built four EV models in less than three years, at a faster speed to popularize electric cars in Taiwan and better serve local customers,” Foxtron chairman Young Liu (劉揚偉) said at the listing ceremony yesterday.
Liu is also chairman of Hon Hai, a major Apple Inc supplier known internationally as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團).
Liu touted Foxtron’s advantages in speed, quality and cost efficiency in vehicle production, but said that “complete vehicle design” is the biggest challenge for the firm. “We would continue on this path,” he said.
Liu said Foxtron would use Taiwan as its production base and leverage Hon Hai’s “contract design and manufacturing service” (CDMS) and “build operate localize” (BOL) business models to enter mainstream markets such as North America and Southeast Asia, with electric passenger cars expected for North America initially and electric buses for Southeast Asia.
Foxtron lost NT$895 million in the first three quarters of this year, more than doubling its losses from NT$396 million a year earlier, with losses per share of NT$0.56. The company posted losses per share of NT$0.87 last year and NT$0.51 in 2021.
Cumulative sales in the first 10 months of the year rose 196.15 percent year-on-year to NT$764.7 million, company data showed.
SOLID FOUNDATION: Given its decades of expertise in megatronics, manufacturing and robotics, Japan has the wherewithal to create its own AI, Jensen Huang said Nvidia Corp plans to help build an artificial intelligence (AI) tech-related ecosystem in Japan to meet demand in a country eager to gain an edge in this emerging technology. The US company will seek to partner with Japanese research organizations, companies and start-ups to build factories for AI, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said yesterday during opening remarks in a meeting with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura. The company is to set up an AI research laboratory, and invest in local start-ups and educate the public on using AI, Huang said. Huang earlier this week met with Japanese Prime
Huawei Technologies Co (華為) is among a field of “very formidable” competitors to Nvidia Corp in the race to produce the best artificial intelligence (AI) chips, Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said yesterday. Huawei, Intel Corp and an expanding group of semiconductor start-ups pose a stiff challenge to Nvidia’s dominant position in the market for AI accelerators, Huang told reporters in Singapore. Shenzhen-based Huawei has grown into China’s chip tech champion and returned to the spotlight this year with an advanced made-in-China smartphone processor. “We have a lot of competitors, in China and outside China,” Huang said. “Most of our competitors
TAPPING TAIWAN? TSMC is committed to hiring locally, but circumstances might require the firm to bring in foreign workers with specialized experience, they said Arizona labor unions and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) have reached an agreement to resolve labor disputes that have dogged the chipmaker’s construction site in Phoenix, Arizona, they said in a joint statement. The new accord is the result of months of negotiations between the world’s leading chipmaker and the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council (AZBTC), a coalition of unions with 3,000 members on site — about one-quarter of TSMC’s total construction workforce. Under the agreement, TSMC — which is investing US$40 billion in Arizona — plans to partner with unions to develop workforce training programs and maintain transparency on
Global semiconductor industry revenue is expected to grow 16.8 percent year-on-year next year, following a slump this year, largely fueled by a surge in demand for memory chips, US-based market information advisory firm Gartner Inc said on Monday. Gartner said the global semiconductor industry is forecast to generate US$624 billion in sales next year, up from US$534 billion this year, during which revenue is predicted to fall 10.9 percent amid inventory adjustments caused by weak demand. The global market for memory chips is expected to rebound next year by 66.3 percent, following a fall of 38.8 percent this year due to oversupply


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Bitcoin Price Tops $850
Bitcoin has surpassed the $850 mark, and by 8.00 UTC its average weighted exchange rate has comprised $863.52. At Bitstamp, Bitcoin price is currently $858, while Bitfinex offers $859, and BTC-e $844.
At Chinese exchanges, including BTCC and Huobi, Bitcoin price is nearing the $880 mark.
This means that the exchange rate has grown by upwards of 6 per cent within the last 24 hours.
Bitcoin has surpassed the $800 mark overnight to Wednesday.
The day before, Bitcoin market cap has exceeded the mark of $13 billion for the first time since November 2013, and now stands at around $13,871 billion.
By 7.20 am UTC, Bitcoin price has grown to $867.
- Bitcoin on Baltic: HodlHodl Founders on Latvia’s First Bitcoin Conference and Their Platform Launch
- Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich, Other Russian Forbes Millionaires Invest in Cryptocurrencies
- Garry Kasparov: Bitcoin Is Pure Speculation
- No Fees, But Paid Entry: Cryptocurrency Exchange “For the Rich” Launched in Moscow
- The Reasons Behind China’s Crypto Optimism
- Blockstream Satellite to Broadcast Bitcoin Across the Globe
- Scandal-ridden Russian Entrepreneur to Open a Bitcoin Store for the Rich
- Bitcoin Surges Above $4100 to Set New ATH


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An inventive vegan printer has just added a new paper option to its product range – one that can literally grow into a mini garden when buried.
This innovative material is called seeded paper and can be used for business cards and flyers. Seeds are added during the making process of this handcrafted paper, which means it is more than recyclable - it is plantable.
Gary Toomey, managing director and founder of Hatch, said: ‘We are always on the lookout for products that are harmless to the planet. Since I started Hatch, driving us to be an environmentally friendly business has always been a priority. We have been adding unconventional options to our range, allowing customers to also do their part for the planet by ordering eco friendly products.’
As seeds are a part of the paper, its texture is uneven and will appeal to those who looking for a product to make them stand out. Weighing 280 g/m2 and 560 g/m2, it can be printed full colour, single or double vegan accreditation, ensuring every product used in their supply chain is animal free.
The seeded paper follows another innovative announcement from the company, after Hatch launched the UK’s first fully recyclable roller banner, made of paper and cardboard.


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GlobalNetInt, Gamesys Group, and the Lithuanian gambling payment hub
Gambling companies work with licenses issued in Malta or, more recently, Curacao. The latter is the current place to play the “I`m licensed I`m clean” appearance. In reality, companies like Gamesys Group PLC have obtained licenses in such jurisdictions as Curacao for the sole purpose of providing online gaming services where online gaming is Illegal. The proceeds are laundered via shell companies from dubious financial service operators utilizing countries like Lithuania, which are known to have a rather relaxed regulatory regime.


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Fuel & Trucking
The nation’s truckstops and travel plazas are among the largest distributors of diesel fuel and gasoline, providing fuel to the nations truckers.
NATSO and the NATSO Foundation closely monitor regulatory action and industry trends that affect the supply and distribution of fuel. From biodiesel tax credits to underground storage tank requirements, NATSO and the NATSO Foundation are on the forefront of industry issues.
The American Petroleum Institute (API), along with dozens of organizations from more than thirty states, has sent a letter to the White House opposing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposal to make ozone standards more stringent. The new ozone standards that EPA is considering “could significantly damage the economy by imposing unachievable emissions limits and reduction targets on almost every part of our country,” the letter to White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said, adding that states are already committing “substantial resources” towards achieving emissions reductions under current standards.
- Recent Items
The need to get items to consumers quickly coupled with concerns over aging infrastructure and supply chain disruptions is driving a growing number of retailers and shippers to position product regionally throughout the country
The average driver's age is 46.5-four years above the medium for the workforce as a whole.
The demographics among new truck drivers are beginning to shift, making way for a new generation of drivers that are more diverse. The industry is also working to attract a growing number of veterans and cater to drivers that are older than the average American worker.
View All Articles
A remodel or renovation can improve a location’s aesthetics, strengthen its brand and enhance...
This year NATSO is creating two NATSO U tracks designed to help operators grow their business....
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Can the company request an employee, including a pregnant worker, to sign a waiver from...
For merchants, including truckstop and travel plaza operators, complying with the EMV shift—the...
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Pictures and use of the new technologies released at E3 2009.
Pictures about "new release"
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The N.O.s new CD Comin Oct.!!!!holla at your boy...EWC Records!!!
NEW 9Hundred Records, Inc. CD Release MR. SNAKE THE ARTIST KNOWN AS...
New release hits the shelved in the Sexuality section of your local book store.
In 2006, Parker Brothers decided to update Monopoly with new property names and more modern Chance and Community Chest cards. This Community Chest Card, released before Ken Lay died, was going to be one. It never made the cut. Thanks to www.AtticWitt...
Cover art on our new released album "Picking up the pieces". Band name: Rags to riches
Abc News. Valentina Iofe - http://www.wric.com/story/19233729/valentina-iofe-shines-again-with-a-new-release-of-breathtaking-song-clarity-and-range-of-her-voice-are-absolutely-unique


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Rich Baldry, a product manager based in our Vancouver offices, discusses an exciting new security feature that will benefit everybody who browses the web away from their office. Over to you Rich..
The Winter Olympics may have been and gone, but here at Sophos Vancouver, we’re still pretty excited.
In case you missed it, Sophos recently announced the imminent release of Endpoint 9.5. It delivers a bunch of great security features but there’s one we’re particularly pleased about: Live URL Filtering.
[Click here to see Live URL filtering at work]
Web filtering products started out in the 1990s as URL blockers. They were designed to allow IT managers to prove to their bosses that their ground-breaking investment in a fixed internet connection was not being wasted by employees intent on finding the latest porn sites.
But as the internet has become an indispensable tool for all businesses and the malware threat has shifted from using email to the web a new set of security-based requirements emerged. Sophos’s Web Appliance set a trend that has shifted the market from Web Filtering to what analysts like Gartner are now calling the Secure Web Gateway. This new generation of web product combines content scanning for malware with traditional URL filtering methods.
However, as business reliance on the web continues to grow it’s becoming clear that Secure Web Gateways are no longer sufficient. Users need to be protected when they’re travelling outside the corporate network. Branch offices and home workers need secure internet access without having to route all their traffic through head office. And as companies seek to address problems like data leakage, gateway products are requiring more and more expensive hardware on which to run so that they can do all that work while still providing the near-zero response times that users expect.
So Sophos is making plans. Live URL Filtering in Endpoint 9.5 protects Sophos Endpoint users from malicious websites users wherever they take their laptops. Built here in Vancouver, it combines the best of our Web security knowledge with our trusted endpoint solution. We think it’s a brilliantly simple solution to allow users to take their protection with them.
Live URL Filtering is just the first step in our strategy to build more of the traditional capabilities of web gateway solutions into our endpoint product. We’re going to be busy on this for the next couple of years so look out for more announcements over that time.


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E-NV200 Superstar - Hong Kong Edition
This small EV market has been on fire lately (The '15 EV Share is at 1.18%, twice as much as last year), with the BMW i3 proving to be an instant hit with consumers, after shattering the YTD record for a single model last year (135 units), this year it continues high above the competition,
Well, that was the case until last month, when out of nowhere (Previously it had only two registrations), the Nissan e-NV200 jumped to the Monthly Best Seller position in February, with 19 units, it's first Monthly Trophy anywhere in the World.
If Nissan's van continues to record such numbers in the near future, both BMW and Tesla (First and Second in the YTD ranking) will have to work hard to keep the e-NV200 at bay and prevent it from being #1.
The BMW i8 has also impressed last month, selling 10 units and helping the brand to continue sovereign in this market.
Tesla Model S e)
|3||Nissan e-NV200 / Evalia||19||21||19||N/A|
FYI, a rough estimate of Tesla Model S sold in Hong Kong in recent months is around 100 per month. There are also roughly about 1000 Tesla Model S in Hong Kong now. See one in every 15 mins on average.ReplyDelete


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Meat supplier Cranswick to boost investments amid rising input costs
May 23 (Reuters) - British pork and poultry supplier Cranswick Plc said it expects to spend 50 percent more this year as it boosts investments in its meat processing plants to counter a surge in input prices.
Cranswick, which processes and supplies fresh pork, premium bacon and sausages, as well as cooked meats, posted a 17.2 percent increase in full-year profit on Tuesday as exports jumped.
The company expects to spend up to 70 million pounds ($90 million) in its fiscal year ending March 2018, Chief Executive Adam Couch told Reuters. That represents a near 49 percent jump from a year earlier.
Couch also said the company continued to eye acquisition opportunities.
Cranswick, founded by Yorkshire pig farmers in the 1970s to make pig feed, bolstered its chicken business with two acquisitions over the past three years.
The company bought cooked-chicken specialist Benson Park in October 2014 and added Crown Chicken to its basket in April last year.
The company's poultry business, which represents 11 percent of the group's total revenue, rose 17.7 percent on a like-for-like basis in the year ended March 31.
Cranswick's shares were up about 2 percent at 2,869 pence by 11:33 GMT on the London Stock Exchange.
The company, which has a strong presence in the pork export market of China, recorded a 38.4 percent increase in total export revenue for the year ended March 31, with its Far Eastern markets surging 49.3 percent.
Exports to China - the country consumes about 55 million tonnes of pork a year, or half of the global total - remained strong, helped by robust demand, particularly from the Shanghai region, Couch said.
Apart from China, Cranswick's fastest-growing market, the company sells in New Zealand and the United States.
The results come at a time when UK pig prices have soared.
UK pig prices jumped 34 percent during the year ended March, compared with a 15 percent decline a year earlier, the company said.
"Cranswick continues to exceed our growth expectations via strong conversion of capex to sales and tight operational management," Davy Research analyst Roland French said.
Revenue from continuing operations rose 22.5 percent in the year ended March 31, its most in at least a decade, to 1.25 billion pounds.
Full-year adjusted pretax profit rose to 75.5 million pounds ($1 = 0.7706 pounds) (Reporting by Rahul B and Tenzin Pema in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier and Sriraj Kalluvila)
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Australia’s best food delivery services, Canstar Blue
Menulog Managing Director Alistair Venn accepting Menulog's Canstar Blue award
Menulog and UberEats have tied equal first in Canstar Blue’s 2017 restaurant delivery awards.
Both Menulog and UberEats received the highest scores by Australian consumers when it came to judging customer satisfaction, delivery reliability, value for money, customer service, website navigation and variety of meals.
The two delivery services received the same scores in all judging criteria’s including:
- Overall satisfaction – 5/5 stars
- Delivery reliability – 5/5 stars
- Website navigation – 5/5 stars
- Variety of meals – 5/5 stars
- Value for money – 4/5 stars
- Customer service – 4/5 stars
Eatnow.com.au received 4/5 stars for overall satisfaction, delivery reliability and website navigation. The online delivery service was awarded 3/5 stars for value for money, customer service and variety of meals.
Deliveroo scored 3/5 stars for overall satisfaction, delivery reliability and value for money. The service received 4/5 stars for customer service, website navigation and variety of meals.
Scores were based off a survey of 3,000 Australian adults.
In announcing the results, Canstar Blue said it is well worth the effort of Australians to explore the different food delivery services available to them.
“The great thing about restaurant meal delivery services is that you really can sample your options without breaking the bank or making any commitments,” Canstar Blue said.
“If anything, it’s a great excuse for a night in.”
- Menulog founders take on $8 billion café sector
- Donut King awarded Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Award
- Great Ocean Road cheese wins Canstar Blue award
Health Star Ratings should be extended to cover fast food restaurants across Australia says a new re...
A CSIRO report has found eating more protein for breakfast may be the key to healthy weight loss.
Kettle Australia is now selling popcorn and sweet potato chips.
Gooralie Farm at Goondiwindi supplies leading organic meat company Arcadian’s free-range pork brand ...
A meat disruptor, Provenir Pty Ltd is bringing butchering back to the farm and providing an Uber-lik...
Woolworths has delivered in spades to shareholders in the last 20 years, but the rot had set in a de...
A young Australian entrepreneur has won retailer support for his innovative new beverage. Some of Au...
Retail Food Group’s (RFG) Pizza Capers is trying to win over customers with a new twist on its regul...


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Present in cleaners, two chemical compounds pose significant risks to our brains, according to a study.
In our food, in cosmetics or even in household products, the ingredients used are sometimes questionable. Indeed, even if all these products seem harmless, they can contain chemical substances dangerous to our health. Obviously, the products we use for household purposes are not spared, as a study recently showed by researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. According to them, two substances present major dangers for our brain.
Two chemicals very dangerous for brain health
In their study published in the journal Nature Neuroscienceresearchers have claimed that two substances are highly dangerous to our health, as reported Femina Version. According to them, these ingredients are notably present in hair treatments, as well as in furniture sprays and disinfectants. They “could pose a threat to brain health and could be linked to neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and autism”.
Scientists then linked neurological disorders, which affect several million people around the world, with environmental factors which could be partly responsible. “Furthermore, most previous studies in this area have focused on a specific type of cell, namely neurons, which play a key role in neural information processing. But data are lacking regarding glial cells, or support cells, which provide various additional functions including cerebral metabolism.precise Femina Version.
What are the dangers of quaternary ammonium compounds and organosphore flame retardants?
As part of this study, researchers analyzed brain oligodendrocytes, “a specialized cell type that generates protective insulation around nerve cells”. According to Paul Tesar, one of the lead authors of this study, “loss of oligodendrocytes causes multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases”.
According to scientists, the “Specific chemicals present in consumer products can directly harm them, representing a previously unrecognized risk factor for neurological disease”. To arrive at this observation, they used oligodendrocytes isolated from mice and cultured human cells. They discovered that “292 of the chemicals tested were fatal and 47 others prevented their maturation”. Among these dangerous chemicals, they noted the particular dangerousness of quaternary ammonium compounds and organophosphate flame retardants.
photo credit: Shutterstock
Thus, we find many of the former in disinfectants, surfactants, softeners or even in antistatic agents. As for organophosphate flame retardants, they are particularly present in electrical and electronic devices, in construction materials, as well as in furniture and textiles.
“Because quaternary ammonium compounds are present in many personal care products and disinfectants, which are used more frequently since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, humans are regularly exposed to these chemicals. And many electronics and furniture contain organophosphate flame retardants. We found that oligodendrocytes but not other brain cells are surprisingly vulnerable to it.”indicate the researchers.
Particularly dangerous chemicals with disastrous neurological consequences on children
Furthermore, according to researchers, these chemicals are particularly dangerous for children’s brains. “Children, particularly during their developmental stages, and people with certain pre-existing health conditions such as multiple sclerosis are likely to be most vulnerable. The developing brain is more likely to be damaged by exposure to chemicals because it is still forming connections. Additionally, for those who have underlying health conditions or genetic factors that make them prone to illness, these chemicals could worsen symptoms or even trigger new health problems.”explained Paul Tesar to the site Newsweek.
Although the researchers add that more research is needed on this subject, these initial findings should not be taken lightly. “Our results suggest that further examination of the impacts of these common household chemicals on brain health is needed. We hope our work will contribute to informed decisions regarding regulatory measures or behavioral interventions aimed at minimizing chemical exposure and protecting human health.”, adds Paul Tesar. Researchers also recommend opting as much as possible for natural and much less harmful household products, such as white vinegar, black soap or even baking soda.
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- Source of information and images “pleinevie”“


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Mead is eschewing its medieval connotations and making its mark on the UK brewing scene, but are we ready for the renaissance?
If you’ve managed to peel yourself away from the exquisite black hole of Netflix to watch a bit of network television lately, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a certain medieval-themed Bud Light advert. In the 30-second spot, a character called the Bud Light King enters a tavern and orders Bud Lights for all his subjects – except for one. This rogue drinker requests an ‘autumnal’, ‘full-bodied’ mead instead, and is promptly thrown in the stocks for his insolence. After all, who would possibly shun the everyman’s Bud Light for mead?
New producers, retailers and bars are championing British-made mead
Quite a lot of people, as it turns out. Driven in part by connections with popular TV shows like Game of Thrones and Vikings, consumers are increasingly looking to mead to quench their thirst. But the fermented honey beverage is becoming more than just a novelty used to take the edge off the Red Wedding.
The US is now home to hundreds of meaderies, and these American producers are harnessing traditional mead styles and creating new ones. They are embracing unexpected flavours, ingredients and techniques to bring mead to a generation of craft-loving drinkers.
The UK is following suit. New producers, retailers and bars are now championing British-made mead, much like brewers from Bermondsey to Birmingham have done for the British craft beer movement. Could we be on the verge of a mead renaissance?
Meet the mead makers
If we are, it’s in no small part due to Lyme Bay Winery, one of the biggest players in the UK mead market. Though you might be more familiar with its English wines or Lugger Rum, Devon-based Lyme Bay has been producing mead for the better part of a decade.
It started off supplying a number of private-label customers and now boasts no less than nine meads under the Lyme Bay name.
The producer’s bestseller is still its Traditional Mead, a still, sweet style that comes in at 14.5% abv. ‘From our perspective, it’s about having an approachable style at the moment,’ says Paul Sullivan, Lyme Bay’s head of sales. ‘What we’re making is what they’d call a “gateway mead” in the US market. It has a degree of sweetness, and it’s in a more approachable, more commercial style.’
If you have a taste for pét-nats, hoppy beers and bitter cocktails, the popularity of this sweet style might come as a surprise, but that’s the result of your craft conditioning, says Sullivan. ‘You’ve only got to look at the sales of sweet, flavoured ciders out there to see there’s a demand.’
Sam Boulton, co-founder of the mead-focused bar The Vanguard in Birmingham, also noticed the popularity of sweeter meads among his customers. When he launched his own brand, The Modern Mead Co, earlier this year, he developed his first expression to fit the bill.
His Original English Mead is a lightly fl oral, elegant hit of honey that clocks in at 10% abv. ‘Our first mead is our sweetest one, but a lot of producers are making drier styles now,’ Boulton comments. ‘It will be interesting to see how that affects the consumer’s palate.’
Peckham-based brand Gosnells of London was one of the first modern producers to bring a drier style to the UK. After visiting the East Coast of America in 2012, founder and chief mead maker Tom Gosnell was so inspired by the meads he encountered there that he decided to come back to London and make his own.
‘We wanted to make something a little more accessible, drier and lighter at about 5.5% abv, and we found that making it sparkling helped the mouthfeel. The effervescence just brought out a lot of the flavours,’ Gosnell explains. Now, in addition to this sparkling, lower-abv flagship style, Gosnells offers limited-edition meads made with single-varietal honey collected from bees that have been fed on one type of plant and a range of canned meads with a distinct beer influence. The meadery is even collaborating on a co-ferment with London saké brewery Kanpai.
Gosnell says he sees the craft-beer movement and its emphasis on innovation and collaboration as a model for mead. ‘For us it’s really important to grow the category as a whole, and collaborating with other people is a great way of showing the breadth of what you can do,’ he explains.
It’s possible that mead could follow along the same explosive path that craft beer has, but – beverage-shaming Bud Light Kings aside – the honey drink has quite a few obstacles to overcome first. One of these challenges is a lack of understanding around the category. Though mead has enjoyed a resurgence thanks to its association with Stark, Lannister et al, TV’s portrayal of the drink hasn’t always hit the mark.
‘The medieval relationship with mead has given it a beer connotation – that it is essentially a honey beer,’ Sullivan says. ‘Mead has been misunderstood and misrepresented for years. [These programmes] have been good for awareness, but it hasn’t been great for the category in terms of building credibility.’
Of course, HBO and the like shouldn’t carry all the blame for mead’s image problem. In fact, it can look a lot like beer – Gosnells’ cans are proof of this. And, to add to the confusion, there’s the ancient tradition of making braggot, a brew that marries varying ratios of honey and barley malt in the recipe.
Mead can also look a lot like dessert wine and a lot like dry wine. With certain botanicals, it can strike a similar chord to vermouth too. Some honey liqueurs are even marketed as mead. At its best, these are examples of mead’s versatility, but given such a wide range of styles and possibilities, it’s little wonder that
consumers are confused.
To combat the chaos, Lyme Bay is currently working with a number of other mead producers across the UK to form an organisation to regulate the category, following in the footsteps of the American Mead Makers Association. Sullivan says that in an ideal world there would be legislation stating that at least 51% of the fermentable sugars in mead’s recipe must come from pure honey.
Still, mead is just making its way into the spotlight. Whether legislation comes into play or not, consumer understanding will take time to develop. ‘We’re right at the start of the category,’ says Gosnell. ‘Mead’s been around for ages, but it’s the beginning of a rebirth.’
Feature originally published in print, Imbibe Winter 2019.


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A new report is showing that IoT devices are under a constant attack, and those that are facing the most threat are those facing zero-day vulnerabilities.
While using autonomous vehicles has been considered for ride-sharing before, now Volvo is testing a full-size driverless bus in Singapore.
The Anker Roav Viva Pro Alexa-enabled smart charger allows you to bring Alexa to older cars by simply plugging it in to your car’s 12-volt/cigarette lighter socket.
Microsoft has decided to no longer offer support for the Microsoft Band, but if you were still using it on March 1, you could be getting a sizable refund.
If you have a Ring Doorbell, it’s likely to keep your home safe, but Amazon had to patch a vulnerability that could allow hackers access to your feed.
The world of IoT is coming to hospitals. A pilot program is putting Amazon Echos into patient rooms at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California.
Have you been waiting on pins and needles for the followup to HoloLens? You can relax: Microsoft announced MicrosLens 2 is available for preorder.
The Litho controller is worn on our finger for better 3D use with augmented reality, IoT, and other “spatial interactions.”
Technology was bound to step in to agriculture sooner or later, so why not institute robots in place of humans to help the work force on the farm?
The University of Michigan is working on improving the safety of autonomous cars and pedestrians by improving the vision system algorithm.
DARPA is looking to develop a smart bandage to help wounded warriors on the battlefield to help wounds get the time and care they need.
A new rule for drones will require owners to make sure they have the ID number showing on the outside to protect emergency workers.
Everyone could get a good night’s sleep with the Ford lane-keeping smart bed that keeps moving all night to keep returning restless sleeps back to their own side.
The cheapest Fitbit fitness tracker ever, Inspire, is meant for the corporate world with a goal of keeping insurance costs down.
After a family’s Nest security camera was hacked, Google sent out an email to users suggesting they choose better passwords for their Nest cameras.
The benefits of a smart toilet are obvious, but a tech team has come up with a smart toilet seat that can actually detect and help protect against heart failure.
Market research shows that the big big three of Amazon, Google, and Apple are cornering the market. Additionally, there has been huge growth in the last year in the smart speaker market.
A research project from Sweden is looking into how teams of drones can autonomously watch over a city’s infrastructure to more easily look for potential trouble.


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Bangalore-based iKaaz launches NFC powered Cloud-based mobile payments platform in Nigeria
Bangalore-based mobile payment platform iKaaz, founded by Soma Sundaram, an ex-Nokia employee, has entered the rapidly growing African market with the launch of its innovative tap and pay offering in Nigeria. The company has raised seed round of funding for Africa and India expansion.
The company is in a mission to extend the iKaaz NFC tag benefit of cashless transactions at retail outlets. Nigerian consumers will now have a freedom of making NFC (Near Field Communication) payments at select merchant outlets by using iKaaz’s NFC powered mobile payments platform running on the Cloud. Currently, iKaaz has partnership with FCMB bank in Nigeria and more banks are lined up to be connected the to gateway.
iKaaz’s NFC reader plugs into any mobile phone and converts a mobile phone into a mobile POS (point of sale) device. iKaaz is inter-operable across device manufacturers and works across all the mobile operators.
Soma, CEO of iKaaz, said,
"It is encouraging to see that African partners are very interested in embracing NFC-based innovative mobile payments solutions. We are also extremely proud to have the opportunity to partner with FCMB Bank here in Nigeria."
The NFC reader is priced at Rs 2000 per unit, and enables it to accept cashless payments from customers using iKaaz NFC tag attached to their phones.
The iKaaz M-POS solution allows merchants to replace expensive POS equipment with just a mobile phone that settles payments electronically. At a Tap & Pay checkout terminal, customers can simply tap their NFC tag-enabled phone at checkout counter to complete a cashless settlement for their shopping. Merchants also can give customers additional security by mandating the use of an M-Pin (mobile pin) to authenticate high value purchases.
How does iKaaz NFC work?
With the iKaaz mobile payment platform working in the background, merchants can extend a host of utilities to customers with absolutely no additional infrastructure costs. Irrespective of their device type or mobile operator, consumers can use iKazz in three steps:
· Credit funds into their wallet in cash or link their wallet to a bank or prepaid account
· Start transacting!
iKaaz offers an innovative mobile payments platform for enterprises in emerging markets to enable them to extend cashless transactions to their customers. Developed by Industry experts with many years of experience in the payments domain, iKaaz caters primarily to customers in emerging markets. For more information, visit www.ikaaz.com.
Watch this space more updates.


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It’s been more than a year since the release of Returnal on PS5, and it seems the PlayStation exclusive might be heading to more players on PC if a recently revealed Steam database entry of the game is to be believed.
This time around, Sony is trying to be a bit more sneaking with its PC release as the game is listed in the database as codename ‘Oregon.’ Although, the tags in the listing – rogue-like, sci-fi, and bullet hell make it very clear that this is the Housemarque studio game as it is a reference to the title’s Tower of Sisyphus and Atropos in the database’s details.
Returnal on PC was a part of a list of many other unannounced PC titles that were revealed during last year’s huge Nvidia GeForce Now leak. On that note, according to VGC, they state that they’ve seen Returnal playing on PC which was shared by a source, this is more evidence that the PC version is heading its way to Steam.
The Returnal PC news follows Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO, Jim Ryan commented on PlayStation’s business on PC in a Thursday business briefing. Ryan states the company expects half of its annual releases to be on PC and mobile by 2025.
“By expanding to PC and mobile, and it must be said… also to live services, we have the opportunity to move from a situation of being present in a very narrow segment of the overall gaming software market, to being present pretty much everywhere,” Ryan said in the business briefing.
“I think if we do this right, if we execute with intelligence, and we execute with excellence, the opportunities for significant growth in the number of people who play our games, the number of people who enjoy our games, and the number of people who spend money on our games, is exponentially a large one.”
During the briefing, lifetime sales of PlayStation’s three biggest PC releases were revealed. In order, Horizon: Zero Dawn released on August 7th, 2020 sold 2.398 million copies, Days Gone released on May 18th, 2021 sold 852,000 copies, and God of War (2018) released on January 14th, 2022 sold 971,000 copies. For upcoming PC releases, Uncharted: The Legacy of Thieves Collection is slated to release this year, leaks have pointed to either a June or July release.